Mama Mia Trattoria’s Pomodoro Sauce

The difference between marinara and pomodora sauce?

 Marinara is runnier and more liquidy than pomodoro, but it’s also a chunkier sauce. You cut tomatoes when making marinara, but mince them when preparing pomodoro. Pomodoro is thick and smooth; marinara is runny and chunky.

The other big differences are their colors and cook times. Since marinara simmers for a shorter period of time, it keeps more of its bright red and orange hues. Pomodoro, on the other hand, can simmer slowly for hours, resulting in a deeper, darker red (although in the interest of saving you time, many of the recipes listed below only take 30 minutes!).

Recipe by By Lisa Schroeder, Danielle Centoni

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What you need

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 2-1/4 cups)
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
  • 5 (28-oz.) cans whole tomatoes in purée
  • 1/2 bunch fresh basil (6 to 8 sprigs), stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbs. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat a large (6- to 8-quart) saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the onions at the same time.
  2. Sauté until very soft, about 12 minutes.Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, but do not let it brown (turn down the heat if you see browning).
  3. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add the basil and cook for 5 minutes more.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and season with the salt and pepper.
  6. Using an immersion blender and purée until mostly smooth but still chunky. 

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